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Post by gate93 on Jul 11, 2020 15:12:50 GMT -5
The Quinnipiac ascension following their entry into the ECAC has been eye opening. It helps that their players, on average, are significantly older than those on most other college teams. Actually Quinnipiac's average player age of 21 yrs 8 mos was tied for 44th amongst the 61 teams last year and nearly 8 months lower than Holy Cross (and Colgate) average age of 22 yrs 4 dos (both schools were tied for 21nd). The better teams in college hockey often skew younger. Only 5 of the top twenty at year end had average ages in the top half and only 2 of the top ten did, including Cornell whose average age was 3 months older than the median average of 22 years 0 months. The "big" schools like to complain about the age issue but in my opinion that is mostly to distract from the fact that there habit of taking high draft picks for one or two and done service is not a good model for hockey success.
It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if HC had put in a full court press (or maybe I should say put in an extra attacker?) when the Q got picked. HC's reluctance to move the women's program really hurt but the ECAC was looking to replace UVM which was an outlier for the league to begin with so I am not sure "fit" was a super important criteria. It had just gone through a period where Union's president loudly proclaimed an intent to run a DI program on a DIII budget and support (thankfully he is gone). I suspect the biggest issue for the ECAC at the time was to find a team that would not skimp on the program and could hopefully become a regular contender at the national level and a league standard bearer. Too many of the ECAC teams are consigned by who they are as schools (smaller, high admit requirements)to cycles of very good to even great followed by several, sometimes many several, years of not so good. The ECAC's revolving door at the top hurt it in comparison to other leagues. I think having Cornell, Harvard and Q pretty regularly in the top 20 has helped in the recruiting wars (as has the disintegration of the western conferences in to the Big 10, one competitive conference and one conference arguably below or heading below the AHA). I do see HC as the most (and probably only) logical 12th member of HE. Once HE realizes its on-cmpus arena capacity floor is too high (which it is), HC will need to figure out a way to get a 3,000 seater on campus and they will be in. The Centrum only holds promise for one-offs (like HC v BC) and I don't think HE will accept it as a temporary home unless the on-campus arena is fully in process. They did that with UCONN and it turned into a disaster. I would love to see it sooner rather than later as I think it might result in the occasional Colgate/HC home and home series. Hopefully no more major dings to HC's schedule. It will be very interesting to see what happens with the ECAC this year - potentially only 5 of the 12 playing if the Ivies x-cel hockey too. Under the current announcement it sounds like no play for them til January which is going to be a schedule head-ache but probably can be dealt with. Hard to say how the other ECAC programs can have a season if the Ivies cancel. Plus RPI has x-celled fall sports with hockey up in the air last I heard.
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Post by Ignutz on Jul 11, 2020 16:52:21 GMT -5
It helps that their players, on average, are significantly older than those on most other college teams. Actually Quinnipiac's average player age of 21 yrs 8 mos was tied for 44th amongst the 61 teams last year and nearly 8 months lower than Holy Cross (and Colgate) average age of 22 yrs 4 dos (both schools were tied for 21nd). The better teams in college hockey often skew younger. Only 5 of the top twenty at year end had average ages in the top half and only 2 of the top ten did, including Cornell whose average age was 3 months older than the median average of 22 years 0 months. The "big" schools like to complain about the age issue but in my opinion that is mostly to distract from the fact that there habit of taking high draft picks for one or two and done service is not a good model for hockey success.
It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if HC had put in a full court press (or maybe I should say put in an extra attacker?) when the Q got picked. HC's reluctance to move the women's program really hurt but the ECAC was looking to replace UVM which was an outlier for the league to begin with so I am not sure "fit" was a super important criteria. It had just gone through a period where Union's president loudly proclaimed an intent to run a DI program on a DIII budget and support (thankfully he is gone). I suspect the biggest issue for the ECAC at the time was to find a team that would not skimp on the program and could hopefully become a regular contender at the national level and a league standard bearer. Too many of the ECAC teams are consigned by who they are as schools (smaller, high admit requirements)to cycles of very good to even great followed by several, sometimes many several, years of not so good. The ECAC's revolving door at the top hurt it in comparison to other leagues. I think having Cornell, Harvard and Q pretty regularly in the top 20 has helped in the recruiting wars (as has the disintegration of the western conferences in to the Big 10, one competitive conference and one conference arguably below or heading below the AHA). I do see HC as the most (and probably only) logical 12th member of HE. Once HE realizes its on-cmpus arena capacity floor is too high (which it is), HC will need to figure out a way to get a 3,000 seater on campus and they will be in. The Centrum only holds promise for one-offs (like HC v BC) and I don't think HE will accept it as a temporary home unless the on-campus arena is fully in process. They did that with UCONN and it turned into a disaster. I would love to see it sooner rather than later as I think it might result in the occasional Colgate/HC home and home series. Hopefully no more major dings to HC's schedule. It will be very interesting to see what happens with the ECAC this year - potentially only 5 of the 12 playing if the Ivies x-cel hockey too. Under the current announcement it sounds like no play for them til January which is going to be a schedule head-ache but probably can be dealt with. Hard to say how the other ECAC programs can have a season if the Ivies cancel. Plus RPI has x-celled fall sports with hockey up in the air last I heard. I guess I fell victim to the word (gripe?) on the street. I stand corrected.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 12, 2020 12:08:52 GMT -5
It helps that their players, on average, are significantly older than those on most other college teams. Actually Quinnipiac's average player age of 21 yrs 8 mos was tied for 44th amongst the 61 teams last year and nearly 8 months lower than Holy Cross (and Colgate) average age of 22 yrs 4 dos (both schools were tied for 21nd). The better teams in college hockey often skew younger. Only 5 of the top twenty at year end had average ages in the top half and only 2 of the top ten did, including Cornell whose average age was 3 months older than the median average of 22 years 0 months. The "big" schools like to complain about the age issue but in my opinion that is mostly to distract from the fact that there habit of taking high draft picks for one or two and done service is not a good model for hockey success.
It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if HC had put in a full court press (or maybe I should say put in an extra attacker?) when the Q got picked. HC's reluctance to move the women's program really hurt but the ECAC was looking to replace UVM which was an outlier for the league to begin with so I am not sure "fit" was a super important criteria. It had just gone through a period where Union's president loudly proclaimed an intent to run a DI program on a DIII budget and support (thankfully he is gone). I suspect the biggest issue for the ECAC at the time was to find a team that would not skimp on the program and could hopefully become a regular contender at the national level and a league standard bearer. Too many of the ECAC teams are consigned by who they are as schools (smaller, high admit requirements)to cycles of very good to even great followed by several, sometimes many several, years of not so good. The ECAC's revolving door at the top hurt it in comparison to other leagues. I think having Cornell, Harvard and Q pretty regularly in the top 20 has helped in the recruiting wars (as has the disintegration of the western conferences in to the Big 10, one competitive conference and one conference arguably below or heading below the AHA). I do see HC as the most (and probably only) logical 12th member of HE. Once HE realizes its on-cmpus arena capacity floor is too high (which it is), HC will need to figure out a way to get a 3,000 seater on campus and they will be in. The Centrum only holds promise for one-offs (like HC v BC) and I don't think HE will accept it as a temporary home unless the on-campus arena is fully in process. They did that with UCONN and it turned into a disaster. I would love to see it sooner rather than later as I think it might result in the occasional Colgate/HC home and home series. Hopefully no more major dings to HC's schedule. It will be very interesting to see what happens with the ECAC this year - potentially only 5 of the 12 playing if the Ivies x-cel hockey too. Under the current announcement it sounds like no play for them til January which is going to be a schedule head-ache but probably can be dealt with. Hard to say how the other ECAC programs can have a season if the Ivies cancel. Plus RPI has x-celled fall sports with hockey up in the air last I heard. Colgate is not fully opening this fall so you got to think they might not be playing hockey. Union is supposed to announce soon what they are going to do. The ECAC will be a mess to play games this fall. Probably true for every conference
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Post by Crucis#1 on Jul 12, 2020 13:58:06 GMT -5
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 12, 2020 15:18:02 GMT -5
Actually Quinnipiac's average player age of 21 yrs 8 mos was tied for 44th amongst the 61 teams last year and nearly 8 months lower than Holy Cross (and Colgate) average age of 22 yrs 4 dos (both schools were tied for 21nd). The better teams in college hockey often skew younger. Only 5 of the top twenty at year end had average ages in the top half and only 2 of the top ten did, including Cornell whose average age was 3 months older than the median average of 22 years 0 months. The "big" schools like to complain about the age issue but in my opinion that is mostly to distract from the fact that there habit of taking high draft picks for one or two and done service is not a good model for hockey success.
It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if HC had put in a full court press (or maybe I should say put in an extra attacker?) when the Q got picked. HC's reluctance to move the women's program really hurt but the ECAC was looking to replace UVM which was an outlier for the league to begin with so I am not sure "fit" was a super important criteria. It had just gone through a period where Union's president loudly proclaimed an intent to run a DI program on a DIII budget and support (thankfully he is gone). I suspect the biggest issue for the ECAC at the time was to find a team that would not skimp on the program and could hopefully become a regular contender at the national level and a league standard bearer. Too many of the ECAC teams are consigned by who they are as schools (smaller, high admit requirements)to cycles of very good to even great followed by several, sometimes many several, years of not so good. The ECAC's revolving door at the top hurt it in comparison to other leagues. I think having Cornell, Harvard and Q pretty regularly in the top 20 has helped in the recruiting wars (as has the disintegration of the western conferences in to the Big 10, one competitive conference and one conference arguably below or heading below the AHA). I do see HC as the most (and probably only) logical 12th member of HE. Once HE realizes its on-cmpus arena capacity floor is too high (which it is), HC will need to figure out a way to get a 3,000 seater on campus and they will be in. The Centrum only holds promise for one-offs (like HC v BC) and I don't think HE will accept it as a temporary home unless the on-campus arena is fully in process. They did that with UCONN and it turned into a disaster. I would love to see it sooner rather than later as I think it might result in the occasional Colgate/HC home and home series. Hopefully no more major dings to HC's schedule. It will be very interesting to see what happens with the ECAC this year - potentially only 5 of the 12 playing if the Ivies x-cel hockey too. Under the current announcement it sounds like no play for them til January which is going to be a schedule head-ache but probably can be dealt with. Hard to say how the other ECAC programs can have a season if the Ivies cancel. Plus RPI has x-celled fall sports with hockey up in the air last I heard. Colgate is not fully opening this fall so you got to think they might not be playing hockey. Union is supposed to announce soon what they are going to do. The ECAC will be a mess to play games this fall. Probably true for every conference Colgate's COVID-19 plan, dated June 23.
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Post by unhfan on Jul 12, 2020 15:21:14 GMT -5
One would think if HE wanted Holy Cross as the 12 th team that it would be done by now. Maybe though because of the pandemic and new commish it hasn’t been announced. www.google.com/amp/s/www.boston.com/sports/college-sports/2020/06/08/hockey-east-commissioner-steve-metcalf/ampI’m sure someone posted that article on here but I thought I would post it just in case. The highlights are HE is in no rush to add a 2 team and they want a school that would bring some value and geography is important. It appears they learned from their mistake of adding ND who began complaining the minute after they joined due to the travel.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 13, 2020 1:01:25 GMT -5
One would think if HE wanted Holy Cross as the 12 th team that it would be done by now. Maybe though because of the pandemic and new commish it hasn’t been announced. www.google.com/amp/s/www.boston.com/sports/college-sports/2020/06/08/hockey-east-commissioner-steve-metcalf/ampI’m sure someone posted that article on here but I thought I would post it just in case. The highlights are HE is in no rush to add a 2 team and they want a school that would bring some value and geography is important. It appears they learned from their mistake of adding ND who began complaining the minute after they joined due to the travel. And I say this again, he might be a new commish but he was the chairman of the NCAA hockey committee the last two years as the Associate AD at UNH. He isn’t a new face that is going to look at things differently as likely only took the job to get some experience before going back to UNH as the AD in a few years.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 13, 2020 1:05:32 GMT -5
Colgate is not fully opening this fall so you got to think they might not be playing hockey. Union is supposed to announce soon what they are going to do. The ECAC will be a mess to play games this fall. Probably true for every conference Colgate's COVID-19 plan, dated June 23. That same report states this Athletics & Recreation The Task Force recognizes that athletics is a crucial co-curricular activity for many students. Successful return to athletics and recreation requires policy and procedural alignment with federal, state, local, and university guidelines. The Task Force has not yet considered carefully the question of whether athletics should commence in the fall and recommends that the Return to Athletics and Recreation Group continue developing a comprehensive plan including specific procedures for safe return to athletic activity. At the President’s request, the Task Force will then provide feedback and input to ensure the group’s recommendations align with the core principles and guidelines of the Task Force’s recommendations to date.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 13, 2020 22:11:37 GMT -5
Regarding H.E. vs AHA, is it better to be a small fish in a small pond or a small fish in a big pond?
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Post by bigfan on Jul 14, 2020 6:03:18 GMT -5
Hockey East is better for recruiting and publicity. AHA does nothing for us.
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Post by purplehaze on Jul 14, 2020 8:41:44 GMT -5
The next decisions from the HC brass will be for the hockey programs - both teams start practice in early September and last year our women opened the season on the 3rd weekend of sep and the men on the 2nd weekend of October
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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2020 10:32:20 GMT -5
Has any AHA school beside Army said anything ?
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Post by hc89 on Jul 14, 2020 11:25:46 GMT -5
The next decisions from the HC brass will be for the hockey programs - both teams start practice in early September and last year our women opened the season on the 3rd weekend of sep and the men on the 2nd weekend of October I suggest we not hold our collective breath...
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Post by timholycross on Jul 14, 2020 15:47:09 GMT -5
If there was a season, I don't see any reason why AIC, Bentley, HC, Army and SHU would play anyone in the league other than themselves.
Same for the 5 in NY/PA.
AFA is SOL.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 14, 2020 15:59:55 GMT -5
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 14, 2020 18:35:59 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain the PL guideline for fall sports which required OOC opponents to have health and safety protocols similar to those established by PL schools would be carried over to winter sports, including sports played in a non PL conference. And I think its possible that the AFA could use a military aircraft to fly east and play Army and HC.
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Post by hchoops on Jul 14, 2020 18:38:47 GMT -5
And how about the rest of the league opponents ?
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 15, 2020 1:11:32 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain the PL guideline for fall sports which required OOC opponents to have health and safety protocols similar to those established by PL schools would be carried over to winter sports, including sports played in a non PL conference. And I think its possible that the AFA could use a military aircraft to fly east and play Army and HC. Air Force could do that to every school in the conference if they wanted to.😂
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 15, 2020 5:12:24 GMT -5
And how about the rest of the league opponents ? Can't speak to their health and safety protocols. I am sure all three military academies have similar protocols.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 15, 2020 15:46:52 GMT -5
And how about the rest of the league opponents ? Can't speak to their health and safety protocols. I am sure all three military academies have similar protocols. Coast Guard is expected to play...don't forget about them
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Jul 15, 2020 16:14:46 GMT -5
Can't speak to their health and safety protocols. I am sure all three military academies have similar protocols. Coast Guard is expected to play...don't forget about them I didn't, but the Coast Guard is not under the umbrella of the Department of Defense, except in wartime. (Because of this, the Coast Guard can engage in law enforcement, which the Defense Dept. is not allowed to do under the Posse Comitatus Act.) www.northcom.mil/Newsroom/Fact-Sheets/Article-View/Article/563993/the-posse-comitatus-act/
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Post by matunuck on Jul 15, 2020 22:35:36 GMT -5
Coast Guard involved in grey zone activities in waters off East Asia. As for our fifth federal academy, the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY is a very good school.
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Post by longsuffering on Jul 15, 2020 23:18:25 GMT -5
As is Mass. Maritime Academy with a tuition of $10,314 in-state. Maine Maritime Academy tuition is $10,764 in state. Both give graduates a degree that is a hard credential in their field, er body of water.
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 17, 2020 20:14:44 GMT -5
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Post by bfoley82 on Jul 17, 2020 20:15:42 GMT -5
As is Mass. Maritime Academy with a tuition of $10,314 in-state. Maine Maritime Academy tuition is $10,764 in state. Both give graduates a degree that is a hard credential in their field, er body of water. I think Mass Maritime might be the only school in the three divisions that does NOT sponsor Basketball.
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